


Winging It

by lilnaugrim



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU!Winged People, Broken wing, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Torn wings, Where everyone has giant wings, except probably dwarfs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-01-08
Packaged: 2018-05-12 15:01:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5670175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Dorian is picked on for being from Tevinter, naturally. Cullen tries his best to stop all the bigotry against him but the two end up stranded on a mountain side until the Inquisitor comes to their rescue!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winging It

**Author's Note:**

> The AU idea was stolen from another wonderful writer on here! I read her story and couldn't get the idea of winged people flying around Ferelden out of my head! So naturally, I had to write my own story!  
> Also, I've never had a full relationship with Blackwall so I apologize if what I wrote is wrong. I also had trouble writing Dorian in this one since I was trying to go for a more diminutive mage, alas, he's anything but that! My apologies! I hope you enjoy anyway!  
> Stay safe, my lovelies!

                Cullen walked around in the warming battlements, stretching his arms and wings out as wide as they could go; flapping the wings to air them out after being pent up for so long. The people of Skyhold had all taken advantage of this strangely warm weather; many were already up in the sky and flying about. The Commander still had plenty of work to do and so his flight could be delayed, he still enjoyed the short bask in the sun. He kept is wings stretched out as he turned them towards the sun, letting them warm in the cold spring air. Of course, since they were in the mountains, even spring still felt like winter. He spread out his tail feathers as well, reveling in the stretch of sore muscles; he shook them and his wings as they warmed up. A shiver ran up his body that tingled everything down to his feather tips, what a wonderful day.

                Cullen sighed when he saw a scout run up to his office, knock and then proceed to enter, likely depositing more reports to his desk. He knew he should get back to work but bathing in the sun just felt all that much more important now.

  “You look comfortable Commander,” Dorian’s voice scared him into a yelp and a jump to turn around. Cullen grumbled at his friend and folded his wings back into place, moving them a couple times until they sat just right against his body. “I’m sorry, did I scare you?” the mage snickered as he came forward out of the dark from the tower and into the sunlight. Cullen would never grow old in seeing Dorian’s wings in the sun, the glittering iridescence always threw him off balance and he couldn’t quite understand why. Blackwall’s wings were just as black but they had tinges of grey strewn about and they were larger in girth than Dorian’s were. Dorian’s wings were longer and leaner, built for fast travel over a hot terrain whereas Blackwall’s were meant for battling the cold winds of the Ferelden’s mountains.

  “I _was_ comfortable…until you showed up,” Cullen folded his arms as he lightly glared to the mage. Dorian chuckled at him but walked up to stand next to him and face the sun. “Beautiful day out, isn’t it?” he asked instead, he always felt the need to keep talking around Dorian, to not let there be empty space between them.

  “Hardly,” Dorian scoffed, “but for Ferelden and being in the mountains, I suppose I could let you call it a beautiful day,” he smirked when he glanced to the Commander sidelong.

  “Yes, yes, you and your warmth,” Cullen shook his head, “you knew what you were getting into when you left Tevinter, it’s not my fault you went south instead of north.”

  “All the same, I didn’t expect to be in the cursed mountains!” Dorian retorted, he didn’t stretch out his wings, Cullen noted. Cullen looked up to the sky, plenty of the Skyhold residents had already taken to it; hollering and whooping as they flew around to stretch out their cramped bodies and wings. Cullen wanted to join them badly but he refrained. He even took note that their Inquisitor had taken flight with Blackwall and were off on their own further north. He smirked, knowing what mischief the two of them would likely get into. Blackwall was a hard romantic, after his inner walls had been removed, he really was a softie down to his grey heart. The Inquisitor had made sure to keep his secrets safe but it didn’t matter when everyone could see the good change in the Grey Warden. It made Cullen happy that even the stubborn old man could find love in this world, maybe Cullen could too.

  “What’re you thinking about? It’s a lovely smile you have,” Dorian took note. Cullen looked over to him, dropping the smile down a notch.

  “Oh uh…just about the Inquisitor and Blackwall, they make a nice pair,” he motioned towards the two of them flying off.

  “Ah, yes, yes they do. I’m glad he’s lightened up a bit even if he does still make fun of me,” Dorian rolled his eyes at the mention, folding his arms to mimic Cullen’s.

  “Does he?” Cullen asked, worried.

  “Sure, plenty of people do. It’s not a prejudice that you can stomp out overnight my dear Commander. It’s a hate that runs deep through your people and I can understand why, though I wish that it never existed. There are plenty of people in Tevinter who regret our past, though, there aren’t enough to ever begin to change our future,” he sighed.

  “What do they do to you?” Cullen asked him, acting like a mother hen to the mage ever since he learned who he was. Cullen wouldn’t tolerate the prejudices and bigotry against the mage in his ranks, he often had to punish a soldier for spitting at Dorian and calling names to him; he tired of the same old ritual week after week.

  “Oh nothing out of the usual really, don’t bother fussing over it—it’s not worth it,” Dorian shook his head.

  “Sure it is, no one deserves to be treated like that, especially in the Inquisition. We’re supposed to be leading by our example and taking all the allies we can muster, it’s doing us no good if our people don’t agree with our mission; they shouldn’t be a part of this then,” Cullen said defiantly.

  “Really Commander,” Dorian unfurled his arms and patted Cullen’s shoulder with affection, “I commend your efforts but it’s not something you can eradicate so easily. I have to admit that with daily scolding, my treatment by your men has been better,” he tried to assure him.

  “It’s still not fair,” Cullen sighed.

  “Of course it isn’t,” Dorian shrugged, taking his hand away. Cullen stayed quiet; he could feel the mage didn’t want to speak about it anymore. Cullen looked back to the sky and leaned against the wall of the battlement that kept them from leaping overboard right away.

  “So…did you have plans for the day?” Cullen looked back to him after the small moment of silence that made him feel uncomfortable. Dorian looked to him and shrugged.

  “Likely the same thing that I do every day; hole myself in my library nook and read everything I can get my hands on,” he gave a sad smirk. Cullen could see that he wanted more in his life than just his research, the same ache that made Cullen want to forgo his paperwork and join the others in the sky.

  “But that’s ever so exciting!” he replied with sarcasm. “Especially compared to what those fools are doing up there!” Cullen went for humorous, Dorian did smile at him but that was the end of it. “Would you like a game of chess then? I think I have a couple hours to spend,” he offered.

  “Thank you but no, I wouldn’t want you to waste those preciously earned hours on me. It’s so rare to see you actually enjoying yourself up here,” Dorian shook his head.

  “I don’t mind at all Dorian, I would really enjoy your company as well,” Cullen tried to get him to stay.

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but I have work to do,” Dorian shook his head as he started to walk away. Cullen quickly reached out to stop the mage, reading the hopefulness in Dorian’s face that startled him. “Yes Commander?” he asked.

  “I uh…never mind, I should…I should let you go back to work,” Cullen took a step back, cursing himself silently when Dorian nodded and left him. What made him act so crazy around the mage? He couldn’t put his finger on it and it made him grumble and rub at the back of his neck as he walked towards his own office. The office itself was warmer than usual due to the sun warming his roost up above, he shook his feathers out again, ruffled in confusion as to why Dorian would tempt him and then rush away like he was injured. Did Cullen hurt him with his words as the others did? Did he offend him? Cullen went over the conversation in his mind all day as he filled out the papers and signed the reports. He piled the important ones to the side to give to the Inquisitor later.

By the time noon came, he was starving for some food. Instead of sending out a recruit to bring him food, he went back out onto the battlements; stretching his wings once more in delight. The keep was abuzz with the unusual warmth and it made him happy inside to see that everyone else was just as happy. He was still missing a certain mage though, he wondered if he should bring food up to Dorian himself and eat with him to keep him company. He found a scout and asked if Altus Pavus was still in his nook or not, the scout replied that he hadn’t seen the mage since the morning. It didn’t overly concern Cullen though; he thanked him and proceeded to the kitchen anyway. He grabbed a sandwich that had been prepared for anyone to take and left to the gardens to see if Dorian was out there or not. He knew the mage enjoyed the herbs as well and wouldn’t admit to it, but he liked to help them grow. Upon not finding Dorian there, he traveled to the throne room to find the Inquisitor dealing with someone who had been throwing sheep at the keep walls. He watched in amusement, the Inquisitor looked to him to plead in silent help but Cullen shook his head as he finished his sandwich. When the man had been sent away, he approached the throne.

  “What a funny little man…” she furrowed her brow and rubbed at her temple. “Seriously though…who exactly throws poor, innocent sheep at a stone wall?” she asked him.

  “You’ve got me,” Cullen shrugged. “Say, have you seen Dorian around at all? He wasn’t at the library, nor was he in the gardens. Leliana’s scout hadn’t seen him either,” he asked.

  “Not at all, I think I saw him this morning…he seemed…I’m not sure, he seemed like he was having trouble on a decision or something. Had he talked to you?” she asked, getting up from the throne to dust off her breeches and set her formal cloths right.

  “I talked with him this morning but was going to see if he’d have another go at chess. We haven’t played at all this week and he’s normally all for a game so he can show off a new cheat move he’s learned,” Cullen chuckled. “After he left, I didn’t see him again and just went back to work as I assume he also did.” At the mention, one of Leliana’s scouts dashed up to him and skidded to a halt, wings folding quickly as he handed the note to Cullen and left once more.

  “What’s this?” the Inquisitor asked, looking down at the note. Cullen opened it and growled at the sight of the words.

  “Time for another round of punishment is what it is! One of my men was last seen spitting at Dorian today,” he quickly jumped off and into flight as he sped out the opening towards the top of the keep; dodging other speeders as he flew. Cullen flew up high to get a better view since the scout didn’t tell him exactly where they were, heck, he wasn’t even sure if this was recent or not. He spotted something over at the next peak from the keep; small specks dashing around another speck. He wasn’t sure but he had a bad feeling about this. Cullen zoomed forward as fast as he could with a push of his powerful wings; his were closer to Blackwall’s wing shape, but littered with browns and golds that also glittered in the sun. His tail was a rustic red dipped in a rich cream towards the bottom and tipped in an umber brown color. Cullen made quick work of the distance between himself and the group that he sped towards, it would still be a couple minutes until he finally reached the destination.

He was sweating by the time he reached the magic user and his enemies. He saw the flash of iridescence on the black wings and knew it had to be Dorian, he just hoped that he’d be by his side in time. His heart jumped into his throat when some of the enemies pulled primary feathers from those beautiful wings, Dorian’s scream echoed through the mountains and he tried to hit the men with his spells. Cullen was finally close enough and yelled out his battle cry as he dove through some of the men. They weren’t his own, one was a new recruit he recognized but the other five were unknown to him.

  “Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?!” Cullen roared at them, battering in some of the face, wing slapping others and dive bombing the rest before they even knew what was going on. The men yelped and after a couple of their own feathers had been taken out, they were scampering away; flying as fast as they could away from the keep. “Recruit, I don’t ever want to see your face in Skyhold again! You hear me?” Cullen yelled out to him. “If I see you, I will clip your wings and throw you in our dungeon!” he yelled. Finally satisfied, he turned around to find Dorian was nowhere to be seen. Cullen’s heart raced both from adrenaline and from fright, where did he go?

  “Dorian?” he called out, he looked up and saw nothing. He looked down and his heart caught again, there was his mage, plummeting towards the mountain side. Cullen yelled out his name, the mage was clearly unconscious and so Cullen dropped too. He folded in his wings but kept his tail out for balance and direction as he dropped, chasing the mage down. Cullen reached his arms out to further his pace, occasionally beating his wings to fly faster down to catch him. Dorian’s wings were tattered and bloodied, he could see that from the many feet above him, but the wings did slow his descent at least which made catching up to the mage easier. Unfortunately, the ground was nearing both of them. Cullen beat harder and harder until his wings couldn’t take the strain any longer. Just as he was able to grab onto Dorian, he pulled up hard but it wasn’t enough. Gravity won and the pair smashed into the snow covered ground beneath them but thankfully due to Cullen’s pull upwards; it was a softer landing than had he not. They tumbled over the expanse of snow and Cullen screamed when he landed on his wing the wrong way. When they finally came to a stop, Dorian was still out but his wings seemed okay other than the obvious large spots of missing feathers now. Cullen quickly got onto his hands and knees as he hyperventilated with the pain coursing through his body.

  “Oh Maker, no!” he cried out, bending down as the tears poured from his eyes, unable to stop them. The pain was enough to drive him into a blackout but he had to make sure that Dorian was okay first. He didn’t even make it close to the Tevinter before he had to stop crawling and vomit due to the pain in his wing. When he was done, he washed himself with snow and tried not to black out. He stood up, staggering away from the vomit before he made his way to Dorian shakily. The mage was stirring and breathing heavy but otherwise seemed to be okay. “Dorian…please wake up, Dorian?” Cullen dropped to his knees; cursing himself when the wing caught on the snow. Dorian stirred again before opening his eyes gently. “Thank the Maker,” Cullen breathed out. He saw the tears forming under the Tevinter’s eyelids and dropped forward to pull Dorian into an awkward hug; trying to reassure him that he was alive and well and he was safe in Cullen’s protection.

  “Commander…?” Dorian breathed out, coughing away from him as his body groaned in protest. “What…” he looked back to Cullen when the Commander broke away from him and continued to kneel over him. “Why—what are you doing here?” Dorian’s focus was coming back as he panted in the cold, shivering.

  “You were in trouble,” Cullen told him softly.

  “That was hardly trouble Commander, I could have—your wing!” Dorian quickly sat up, throwing Cullen back by accident which caused Cullen to cry out at the movement of his wing. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Dorian reached out his hands to touch Cullen apologetically, “is it broken? Maker tell me it isn’t,” Dorian breathed, thumbing away tears that had gathered over Cullen’s cheeks and slid down.

  “It…it is…I can’t move it,” Cullen nodded, letting his head bow down and away from Dorian’s gentle hands.

  “What happened?” Dorian asked, firmer and more awake now as he gathered the picture.

  “Scout tipped me off…told me you were in trouble,” Cullen huffed and breathed out in a painfully ragged breath, kneeling back away from Dorian. “Hit the bad guys but…but you were falling…I couldn’t pull up in time a—and we tumbled,” Cullen groaned at the wing against the ground, the cold felt good against his hot feathers but his wing hurt too terribly.

  “Oh my dear Commander,” Dorian whispered. “I never wanted this to happen,” he murmured before he rolled away to get up himself. “Come here, I may not be able to heal it, but I can soothe the pain for a while,” Dorian pulled Cullen into standing. Cullen latched onto Dorian to prevent himself from falling, though biting the bare shoulder hadn’t been part of his plan, it was a primal reaction to his broken wing being touched and grabbed so Dorian could soothe it. “My, my Commander…had I known you’d have this kind of reaction, I would have done this a long time ago,” Dorian chuckled as he let out his magic to numb the wing. Dorian stopped his chuckle when he felt Cullen start to slip unconscious, his bite released and he slumped into Dorian’s hold. “No, no, no…you’re not allowed to faint on me. Stay awake Commander, come on, you can do it,” he pushed Cullen up more and started to walk down the mountain side to where he saw the trees; at least they would offer some protection from the battering winds.

                It took Dorian almost half an hour to get Cullen into the trees; half dragging him and supporting him. Dorian kept his wings out like a vulture hiding its prey, honestly, it hurt too much to even fold them up properly. Cullen’s wing dragged behind them while the other was out and trying to steady him each time he lost his balance. Once they were safely in the woods, Dorian made sure to carefully let the Commander to the ground on his good side; the right side as Cullen folded the good wing in. Dorian was so exhausted himself that his connection to the fade was waning for the night, he was barely able to construct a ward to keep them safe and a small fire. Had he been able to, he would have sent a flare up into the sky; instead, he collapsed near Cullen in exhaustion. Cullen’s wing was held behind him straight out, Dorian was careful of it as he pressed himself against the nearly frozen Commander, trying to find heat between them.

  “What…what’re you doing?” Cullen asked, cheek pressed against the snow beneath them.

  “Quiet Commander, do you want us both to freeze? I’m trying to keep us warm while we wait for the Inquisitor to find us,” Dorian pulled Cullen’s hip closer to his and snuggled into his bare hold. “I wonder…” Dorian felt his eyelids closing shut on him, “wonder if…Solas is dreaming…” he whispered as he fell into slumber; he prayed that they would both wake again soon.

                Dorian stumbled around in the fade as he dreamed, he willed himself to fly fast and hard towards the keep that he could see in the distance. Leaving Cullen behind seemed like an awful thing to do but this was the Fade after all, it wasn’t his real life, Cullen was still safe beside his own sleeping body. Faster and faster he beat his wings but he couldn’t seem to gain any distance between himself and the keep. Dorian growled out and yelled into the Fade, perking the interest of some spirits near him.

  “You seem terribly shaken my dear, why don’t you land and we’ll discuss what is bothering you,” a spirit beckoned him down. When Dorian looked up towards the keep and it’s impossible distance, he lowered himself through the trees and to the ground. “Come, let us talk,” the spirit offered it’s hand, Dorian didn’t take it but sat down hard in the snow.

  “I failed him…I…” Dorian began, the tears prickling at the edge of his eyes.

  “Who, my dear?” the spirit came to sit in front of him. “Tell me everything so that I may help,” it offered.

  “How do I know I can trust you?” he asked, having seen many who were taken over by demons before.

  “You do not, but I am offering help, can that be so bad?” it asked.

  “I suppose not,” Dorian looked through the trees to see that the little fire he had made was starting to diminish. “There isn’t much time. If you can reach a mage called Solas in the Skyhold keep, can you tell him where the Commander and I are?” he asked quickly.

  “I can certainly do my best. What is the reason you wish to leave this forest?” it asked.

  “We aren’t made for this weather. Neither of us can fly, Amatus—I mean…Commander, he has a broken wing and it causes him too much pain. I don’t have enough feathers to fly us back and he’s too heavy,” he explained, “Curse the Maker, why did I have to fall in love with such a big feather brained idiot?!” he bashed at the snow, making the spirit jump momentarily. Dorian let the tears go instead, there was no use in denying that this was a hopeless cause and that he was going to die right there in Cullen’s arms; not such a bad thing he supposed. “He…he saved me you know…I could have died but instead, he broken his wing for me and now…he might never fly again!” he sobbed, covering his face as the tears flowed across his cheeks.

  “You’ve avoided him all week because you were afraid that he would find out about your affections for him, did you not?” the spirit asked.

  “Yes, yes, yes, every time he looked at me—Maker! I swore I was going to kiss him! He doesn’t fancy men the way I do, he never will!” Dorian shook his head, trying to dry his tears.

  “You haven’t given him a chance Dorian; you haven’t let him speak to you the way that you long him to. There is still hope my dear, do not let go of that so easily. Did someone else come to your rescue when you were being hurt?” it asked him. Dorian thought about all the times he’d been called names, shunned, kicked at, spit on, and feathers ruffled. Cullen was there every single time to aid him, but surely that only meant that he wanted to friendship of the mage, nothing more than that. That’s what friends did, yes? “Give him a chance my dear,” the spirit told him and walked away or rather floated away. Dorian looked back at the dwindling fire.

  “Wait! Tell Solas!” Dorian stood up, calling out to the spirit as he tried to walk forward; stuck once more. “Maker’s balls! What the hell is wrong with this area?!” he growled. He remembered the ward that he’d placed over their bodies, perhaps that was tying him too greatly to the area? Whatever happened, Dorian was awake the next minute, swearing more as he got up to start to preen himself; several hours had passed and it was dead in the night. He dried the tears that had fallen during sleep and checked on Cullen; he was still breathing but it was ragged with pain. Dorian had just enough Lyrium burning in him to soothe Cullen’s pain one more time before his veins seemed to be dried up of Lyrium for the moment. He hated the feeling of being depleted; his body was sore and crumpled, his feathers were a mess and bloodied from the fight earlier. He grumbled to himself and continued his preening, setting feathers right and trying to soothe his own wings into folding properly.

                By the time Dorian saw light of morning, he was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open but Cullen was stirring at least. Dorian leaned a hand on the snow as he sat there on his hip, trying his best not to fall into slumber again. His wards had failed sometime after he woke up and so he vowed to keep a watchful eye out. He debated between putting the fire out and soothing Cullen one last time or continuing to keep them warm. Cullen answered that question when he woke and started to breathe hard and stressed; in pain. Dorian quickly reacted, dousing the fire to give him enough Lyrium in his veins to cast the soothing spell on the broken wing.

  “Dorian…” Cullen whispered to him, trying to get up but without avail.

  “Keep quiet Commander, I’m sure they’ll be here soon…” he placed a hand to the shoulder to still him. He blamed his simple tongue on the exhaustion that had hit him; he could barely form words to express what he wanted to.

  “No…need to split wing…won’t heal well otherwise…” Cullen switched to his stomach so he could lean on his elbows at least, head still hanging with the lingering soreness.

  “What do I need to do?” Dorian got onto his hands and knees to attempt to get up.

  “Stick and…cloth or string…or something to tie my wing to my side,” Cullen looked at him; seemingly more awake and doing better.

  “Stick…” Dorian looked out into the forest. Most of the sticks and leaves were covered by the snow now but he figured he could break one off a branch. “I can get a stick,” he nodded, practically delirious as he moved to stand up and shake his tail feathers of snow.

  “Dorian, sit down,” Cullen commanded him.

  “You need a stick.”

  “And you’re exhausted, sit down,” Cullen got up onto his hands and knees, Dorian caught the wince but he kneeled down anyway. “I can get the stick, you just go about tearing this up so it makes a thick string,” Cullen got off his hands and started to unbutton his tunic.

  “You’ll freeze!” Dorian pushed forward to place his hands on the chest in order to stop Cullen from removing the shirt.

  “I’d rather freeze then…then never fly again,” Cullen choked on his words for a moment before he removed the tunic and shivered. Dorian, as much as he wanted to see the chest of his Commander, didn’t want Cullen to freeze either. “Please Dorian, just do as I say and tear it,” Cullen finally stood up shakily. Dorian quickly leapt up to steady him with hands on those lovely shoulders. Cullen gave him a stern look and he backed away like a puppy that was just scolded.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Dorian told him quietly.

  “What? No, no, no, I’m sorry…I didn’t expect you to get up so quick,” Cullen moved forward to place a hand on the mage’s shoulder and rub it apologetically. “I never had the chance to ask, are you okay?” he asked, keeping his hand on Dorian’s shoulder.

  “I’ve…dealt with worse before,” Dorian wouldn’t look at him. Cullen looked him over before pulling Dorian into a quickly and tight hug.

  “You’re beautiful wings, I’m so sorry Dorian. No one should ever have to go through this,” he whispered in the hug. Dorian was stiff under the hold and Cullen wondered if he’d read the signs wrong from the mage, did he not like him at all? He wondered if he could only keep his intentions friendly towards the Tevinter after all he had fantasized about with him. Cullen swallowed hard at the thought that Dorian just really didn’t like him. It wasn’t until Dorian’s arms circled his waist and pulled them together that both of them relaxed. “I’m sorry they hurt you,” he whispered again.

  “It’s nothing like happened to you,” Dorian offered his condolences, sniffing involuntarily when tears shed again. Everything hurt too much to even be concerned about the possibilities of appearing too diminutive due to his tears, that was, until he felt Cullen’s tears against his own shoulder. “Oh Amatus,” Dorian whispered and carefully raised his hand to pet Cullen’s disheveled blonde hair. He raised his head to kiss the side just behind Cullen’s ear; holding him firmly. Cullen didn’t pull away from the affectionate kiss which pleased Dorian, maybe there really was hope like the spirit said there was.

  “I’m sorry, I must appear pathetic or something,” Cullen tried to chuckle through his own tears, bringing a hand up to wipe them away while he continued to hold onto the mage for his life.

  “Not at all Amatus, I feared you would think the same,” Dorian kissed his head again and tangled his hand into the shorter ends of the blonde hair. “I…I talked with a spirit when I dreamed,” he confessed.

  “And what did he say?” Cullen asked, not daring to lift his head just yet.

  “He told me there was still a chance…that I should wait and be sure before I do anything rash. I’m good at that you know, jumping to conclusions and ruining it for the both of us, scaring others away when they get too close or simply pushing them away myself. It’s a terrible habit I’ve gotten myself into…but you see, in Tevinter…I could never be…I…anything I did wasn’t to build anything better, more grand…it was simply a quick moment in passing that we’d get together. I don’t know how to do this, how to make something last…” he spilled the words from his mouth, dancing around the topic which was very much unlike the mage. He watched Cullen’s brow furrow in confusion as he spoke and it only made matters worse; he blamed the cold that swirled around them.

  “Dorian…what in Andraste’s name are you trying to say?” Cullen picked up his head to look at the mage.

  “I…that…that I—oh Maker—“ he stopped himself and simply pulled Cullen in for the kiss. It was tender and sweet, just like Cullen was when he tried to show any sort of affection to the mage, it was still chaste but it was enough to set fire to Dorian’s bones and warm him. He went to pull away, thinking that Cullen had enough of his antics but Cullen followed him and pulled him right back into the kiss; turning it heated and something filthier than Dorian would ever imagine Cullen had the power to do. Dorian keened at the pull from the Commander on his body; invading his entire space as he claimed the mage’s mouth greedily. So apparently Cullen wanted this just as badly, the thought made Dorian melt and actively participate in the kiss.

  “Is that what you were trying to tell me all along?” Cullen asked him when they separated for just a moment, breathing out hot steam in the cold mountains.

  “Maker yes…I’ve wanted to do that since I saw you,” Dorian pecked at Cullen’s cheek and rubbed his cold cheek against his in affection.

  “Why didn’t you?” Cullen asked.

  “And throw your reputation out the door?” Dorian scoffed which made Cullen’s brow furrow in response.

  “Reputation…what reputation?” he asked. Dorian sighed and went back to laying his head against the Commander’s shoulder.

  “The one where you’re this wonderfully naïve Southern Chantry boy and I’m the evil Tevinter mage come spoil your manhood,” he spoke, a small smile on his lips when Cullen grinned.

  “Oh…you’re the evil one in this story hm?” Cullen asked, kissing Dorian’s nose and chin. “How about the one where I’m a Lyrium deprived ex-Templar who can’t even see straight when I’m on withdrawals? The one where you’re the docile mage who researches and steals my heart?” he asked, keeping his head rested on Dorian’s. Dorian huffed in response but didn’t answer, they both had demons; he knew that, but he always held this idea that Cullen was some innocent and inexperienced chantry boy, his kiss had clearly proven him wrong. “Come on, rip the tunic for me, I don’t have the strength, let’s forget the stick,” Cullen pulled from his embrace. Dorian shuttered at the loss of heat but did as the Commander told him to. He ripped it as best as he could to tie it and make a long piece of cloth. “I hope it’s enough…” Cullen prayed when Dorian presented it.

  “You do realize this is going to hurt, don’t you?” Dorian asked, the wing was still outstretched and very stiff from being left that way over night. “I don’t have enough magic in me to soothe you again so you’ll have to wait until the others find us,” he warned.

  “I’d rather have pain then to never fly again…especially with you,” Cullen brought him in for a kiss again, he wanted to turn it into something more but Dorian gently pushed him away to get that wing situated first. Dorian smiled at Cullen’s little pout but looked at the daunting wing. “Ready when you are,” Cullen nodded.

  “Maybe you should kneel,” Dorian pointed. Cullen agreed and knelt for the mage, bracing himself for the pain that was to come. Cullen’s scream echoed through Dorian’s heart as he pushed on the wing to fold it against the flush body beneath him. Once the wing was folded properly, Dorian wrapped the fabric around Cullen twice to secure it soundly to his body. The Commander was panting painfully against the ground having fallen to his hands as well. Dorian ran his hands over the pinked back and arm to try to soothe him the best he could. Cullen ended up moving to Dorian to hug him again; letting his full weight rest on the mage as he rode out the aftershocks of pain that drove through him. Dorian was all too happy to let him rest there, though; he wished it had been for other reasons than pain. Dorian kissed the open flesh of his neck and shoulder to help him take his mind off of the pain. Cullen nearly passed out against him but willed himself to stay awake for Dorian’s sake.

  “I’m sorry…” Cullen whispered, still leaning heavily against Dorian and breathing raggedly.

  “For what Amatus, you did nothing wrong,” Dorian nosed at the neck and jaw line.

  “For making you think I didn’t want you…all this time…all this time we could have been courting,” Cullen chuckled lightly, groaning in pain when his wing twitched from the new position it was in.

  “Well…it was as much my fault as it was yours Amatus, yes? I could have easily made the first move before—“

  “But you didn’t.”

  “Yes, yes, I know that. I was there, remember?” Dorian grumbled to him which made Cullen smile wearily.

  “I’m glad you kissed me,” he responded instead.

  “I am too but will be even happier if you don’t pass out, or if the Inquisitor would get here before we both die,” he glowered towards the mountain looming above them. “Why in the Makers name they dragged me out here in particular…I’ll never know perhaps…” Dorian sighed and continued to pet the Commander’s good wing and try to keep him warm with his own body heat; he had little to offer though.

  “So…no one would hear you scream…” Cullen whispered and attempted to move closer; straddling Dorian’s knees to hold him protectively. “Your wings…they look horrible…” he mulled them over.

  “Thanks for reminding me….” Dorian rolled his eyes before he gave a shiver in the cold. The sun was starting to rise, he could see the light on the mountain peak.

  “I love to watch them glimmer in the light…I want to see you display when we’re both healed…” Cullen kissed Dorian’s neck gently to prove his point.

  “My, my Commander, talking about courting dances already?” Dorian grinned, petting at Cullen’s hair again since the Commander seemed to like it.

  “I think we’ve danced around this long enough…” Cullen inwardly groaned with pain again before he continued with a hot breath against Dorian’s neck, “the dance is just a formality you know…when the other isn’t paying close enough attention,” he chuckled when he thought about how many times Dorian’s wings distracted him. “But…I want to see you…see you dance in the sun even if it is cold. I want to see your feathers and how they glisten under the light, how they shine like a beautiful dark rainbow,” he went on, Dorian shivered in approval of his words.

  “You keep speaking like that and I’m liable to bed you right here and now,” Dorian whispered.

  “Ha!” Cullen huffed, “I’d like to see you try…you can barely hold me up as it is,” he grinned, licking at Dorian’s tanned flesh.

  “If I had the strength, I’d throw you down right now and ride you into the sunrise but…considering we’ve both sustained vast injuries…I don’t want to hurt you more than you already are,” he said, praying to Andraste that the spirit had delivered his message and this wasn’t all for not. “But…had you been healthy…I would wrap my wings around you and pull you into a searing hot kiss, I’d reach around you and pull us close so that you could feel just how hard I get around you,” he breathed out, Cullen quietly moaned at the images flittering through his head. He was having a hard time with the blood rushing out of his head and into his pants, leaving him light-headed and close to unconsciousness. “When our clothes are off, I’d place my hands on your desk and shake my pretty little tail feathers are you—you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Dorian teased. “I’d lift them and show you that arse that you’ve been wanting to grab—don’t deny it, I’ve seen the way you look at my backside, all want and lust,” he grinned when Cullen all but panted against him; clearly riled up.

  “Please…Dorian, stop speaking…I can’t stand this…” Cullen nearly fell to the side into unconsciousness due to his erection for the mage—what a way to go, he thought. The clerics would clearly have questions if he died with an erection.

  “Let me help you Amatus, it will keep you warm at least,” Dorian kissed his ear and kept him upright and sitting against Dorian still.

  “Yes…please, I want you so bad…before the scouts come,” he panted.

  “They won’t be the only thing coming,” Dorian chuckled as he reached under to help Cullen’s thick length out of his pants. Cullen shuttered hard when he was free and the cold air hit him; it didn’t deter the man though which Dorian found to be amazing; the cold would have shut him right off. After gathering enough spit onto his hand, Dorian lathered it around the hardened erection and started to pump him. Cullen wanted to help him out and be more active, but his current situation and lingering pain put a damper on that. He instead kissed at Dorian’s neck where he could still reach. “You’re larger than I had expected Amatus, oh so lovely though,” Dorian whispered to him, thumbing at the reddening slit which made Cullen jerk. “Mm yes, you like that, hm?” he purred as he moved the foreskin down to expose him completely. The head was already swelling; the talking that Dorian had done previously had clearly set him close to the edge. A couple strokes and a thumb against the ridge underneath the head and Cullen was coming quickly. Dorian hand his hand over his head to prevent clothing stains that would raise questions for the two of them but let Cullen come as his body tensed up and emptied himself with another bite to Dorian’s shoulder. “You keep biting like that and my arm is surely going to be chopped off!” Dorian groaned when the bite surprised him. It easily set him over his own edge, he didn’t realize that he’d been so closely himself. His own talk and Cullen’s responses had made him just as hard and ready. When the two of them were spent, Dorian cleaned off his hand by licking it off, Cullen watched him; fascinated that Dorian would do that and seemed to actually enjoy it.

  “That was…utterly enjoyable,” Cullen whispered, starting to slip unconscious again. Dorian tucked him away; noting the twitch of Cullen’s hips as he was beginning to hit oversensitivity. Dorian made sure he was tied up again securely, less his breeches fall down. “Thank you.”

  “For what? A quick hand-job?” Dorian asked with a chuckle.

  “For everything…” Cullen kissed the bite mark. “For distracting me when I work too hard, keeping me sane through…everything here, for keeping me warm while we’re out here…for just being you honestly,” he smiled against the skin, feigning unconsciousness but it was a losing battle, Dorian grabbed him when he started to slip off his shoulder again.

  “You give me too much credit Commander…” Dorian smiled as he held him, “but thank you for your honesty—it’s always struck me a strange, how honest you are. You don’t hold opinion back for anyone unless you intend not to hurt them, it’s a nice quality that you are able to be so forward when it’s needed,” he spoke. The sun rising more as he heard the beat of quick wings above. “Ah…they’ve come for us then…” Dorian let himself start to slip, exhaustion hitting him like a Hurlock. Cullen was already out. As soon as Dorian heard them land and the Inquisitor yell that they were here, he let them both fall to the side in unconsciousness, the darkness enveloped and wrapped around him as the party rushed over to retrieve them. He didn’t even remember the flight back, he felt the feeling of weightlessness as they flew but that was all; he and Cullen were safe and that’s all that mattered.

                Cullen woke to a humming besides him and wondered who it could be. He could smell the elfroot that filled the room and feel the lingering Lyrium course through him from being healed. He knew he was back in the keep and his wing had been healed. He no longer felt the pain but bliss as he laid in his roost and—wait, he was in his own roost instead of at the healing wing, how strange was that? He must have been fully healed if he was in his own room which made him smile in his sleep as it waned. The humming stopped next to him and he still wondered who was with him. He suddenly remembered that Dorian had been injured too. He sprung up; wings stretching out which normally would have been okay but he hit something heavy; making Dorian cry out in surprise.

  “Dorian!” Cullen quickly retracted his wings as he crawled to the edge of his pillowed nest to look at his love who only glared at him.

  “Watch where you put those things, yeah?” Dorian put the book down but soften his gaze to the Commander until it turned into a smile. “How do you feel?” he asked, getting up to kneel in front of the Commander and pull him into a gentle kiss.

  “I personally feel absolutely wonderful,” he grinned, enjoying the quick kiss before he spread out his wings again to show them off in the afternoon sun. Dorian watched the wings glitter and bit his lip before he looked back to Cullen; showing his own want.

  “I unfortunately have to wait until mine grow back, but they are no longer sore, so it’s a start, yes?” Dorian spread his out; shaking them a little before he matched Cullen’s spread. Cullen looked at the holes in the wings; it made him sad that he couldn’t protect his lover the way he wanted to. “Cullen, don’t look as if you’ve seen a puppy been hit, they will grow back I assure you!” Dorian cupped his face gently to bring him in for another quiet kiss, nothing like the heated passion they had shared only hours ago, but it was still reassuring.

  “But they hit and hurt you…” Cullen told him quietly, Dorian smiled at him.

  “Am I your puppy now Amatus?” he chuckled. “Do you want me to roll over and beg for you too?” he asked, folding his wings again; Cullen following the motion. Cullen looked at him before he blushed and looked away, ready to defend himself but Dorian saw the look and the lust, “Ah, I see I’ve found something you like then, hm? Want me on the floor begging you to stop when it feels oh so good,” he lowered his voice and whispered into Cullen’s ear while his finger traced the shell of it; eliciting the response he had wanted from him. “Want me to obey your every command and treat me for when I do something good?” he went on, watching the shiver run down Cullen’s spine and shake his feathers.

  “Maker’s breath…” Cullen breathed out. Dorian shrieked in the moment when Cullen grabbed him and pulled him back into his nest; effectively pinning himself under the mage as they laid there. “You’re such a tease, you know that? All this talk and you do nothing about it!” Cullen growled before he caught Dorian’s mouth in his to kiss him dirty like he wanted it. Dorian moaned and reciprocated quickly as he straddled Cullen’s hips, Cullen moved his legs up to create a cradle for the mage to sit in. Cullen’s moan reverberated through Dorian as he thrust their beginning erections together in glee, finally glad he was able to take the man below him. Cullen’s hands were nosy; mapping out every square inch of flesh he could find, pulling the tunic off Dorian when he wanted to find more.

  “Commander Cullen?” a voice appeared below them, stopping the pair in mid-action.

  “What?!” Cullen growled down to the recruit. Dorian grinned at him and his agitation as he continued to kiss the neck he had lightly marked that morning.

  “Oh, you are awake. There are reports for you,” the recruit called up.

  “Then leave them on the desk and get out!” he growled back, the recruit clearly wasn’t getting the message.

  “The Inquisitor has requested your appearance should you be awake, as well as Altus Pavus if he’s here,” he said.

  “We’re busy, tell her we’ll be by later when we’re both fully recovered,” Cullen yelled, hands moving again against Dorian’s bare back and chest.

  “But ser, she said it was important!” the recruit insisted. Dorian stilled Cullen’s hands and sighed.

  “We should go see what she wants before she has a bloody fit, you know how worried she gets for us,” Dorian told him, bringing Cullen’s hands up to kiss them gently.

  “We’ll…be down in a couple minutes,” Cullen told the recruit; he was clearly disappointed.

  “I shall let her know!” the recruit scampered off.

  “We can have all night if you’d like. She can’t possibly take up more than half an hour of our time,” Dorian told him, getting off those lovely hips and tented breeches that he longed to ride. Cullen’s nest was more comfortable than he thought; pillows strewn everywhere made it possible to sleep in any position he wished. “I believe you have more pillows than I do, I didn’t take you for a man of luxury Commander,” Dorian kept his tail close as he laid back; showing submission to the warrior as he got onto his knees to leave the nest but he stopped when Dorian laid down.

  “Well…” Cullen grinned as he crawled up to loom over Dorian, bending down to kiss him with lust and wanting; wishing they could just stay. “A man has to have a comfortable nest at least, otherwise he’ll be grouchy if he didn’t get a good night’s sleep,” he grinned, kissing Dorian’s neck before he trailed his kisses down to the bruise he’d left before on the shoulder. Dorian moaned at the bruise, biting his lip as he turned his head away to give Cullen all the access.

  “Amatus…we should go…the Inquisitor will be suspicious…” he breathed.

  “You tease me Dorian and then shut me out and tease me again…make up your mind!” Cullen growled lowly at him; he meant no harm by it and Dorian knew that, it only made him harder than he was before.

  “I—I’m sorry,” Dorian chuckled out a breath when Cullen nibbled at the skin; causing him to jerk his shoulder slightly. “We really should go though, all the more time afterwards to play,” he pushed Cullen away so they could both sit up and exit the nest. Dorian almost slipped out of the nest but threw his wings out to steady himself. Cullen followed him out; hopping out with the aid of his own wings. He was all too happy to have his wing healed again and to be able to fly with Dorian. Cullen grabbed Dorian once more and pulled him back into a kiss while he wrapped his wings around the both of them; keeping their heat between them. “Cullen!” Dorian exclaimed at the pull. He didn’t want to melt in the Commander’s arms; they really did have to go, but he couldn’t help it. The fact that Cullen was experienced at this and seemed to know how to push all of Dorian’s buttons, it didn’t help him at all as he tried to feign off the erection in his breeches. “Cullen, not now—mphf!” he tried to stop him but it was a wimpy attempt; as much as he wanted to see the Inquisitor first, Cullen was more important to him.

  “We do have a couple minutes,” Cullen said when he broke the kiss, breathing heavy with arousal.

  “Yes, yes, you did say that, didn’t you?” Dorian grinned before he pushed Cullen to the chair at the small bureau near the nest. “Oil, just a bit of oil, do you have any?” he asked. Cullen sat down on the chair and pointed to the top drawer next to him, grinning as he made Dorian fish for it. “Come on, untie those blasted breeches for me, I did enough for you this morning, it’s time you give me a little something too,” Dorian told him as he pulled out the small vial.

  “Alright, alright,” Cullen agreed, his blush was all over his chest now, down to the little blonde curls at his hips. He undid his pants while Dorian worked his open, relieved when he pulled himself out. Dorian moved to his lover and straddled his hips, Cullen brought him into a kiss before anything else could happen, the pair moaned as their mouths sealed and tongues met the other, sliding across each which sent fire through the two.

  “Wait—“ Dorian pulled away, grabbing some oil for his hand before he pushed the two of them together, both members in hand as he started to pump them. Cullen’s moans were sweet to Dorian; he licked a stripe up Cullen’s neck from his clavicle to his ear where he nibbled on the sumptuous lobe. Cullen kept his hands on Dorian’s hips to keep him from falling as Dorian kept up the pace between them; jerking them both off simultaneously. “Oh Amatus, you are too good for me,” he moaned when Cullen’s finger tips dug into the edge of his arse just like he had wanted to do before. A couple more strokes to them and Dorian was spilling over onto Cullen’s chest greedily working his hips against the Commander’s as he came. Dorian panted as he mouthed at Cullen’s broad shoulder, he let go of himself but continued to work on Cullen; relishing in the man’s moans next to him. Cullen wasn’t too far behind either, coming quickly, covering Dorian’s own on his stomach. Dorian was purring and petting the Commander with his clean hand, running fingers though the golden hair as they both sat there; spent and feeling the bliss of their orgasms.

  “Now…now we can go see the Inquisitor,” Cullen grinned as he chuckled to his lover. Dorian huffed but kept his head pressed against Cullen’s shoulder; riding out the last bit of his orgasm. “Or…we can stay here and go for round two,” he continued to grin as he kissed Dorian’s cheek.

  “Round two?!” Dorian picked his head up and looked down to Cullen’s softening cock, “I hardly doubt you’re ready for round two Commander, you aren’t a spry young Chantry boy anymore,” he grinned and kissed the corner of his mouth.

  “You wound me Tevinter,” Cullen ticked at him. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up before the Inquisitor comes up here herself,” he sighed. Dorian grumbled but stood up all the same as he grabbed a cloth to wipe them both down as well as Cullen’s dirtied stomach. Cullen shuttered when he was cleaned, Maker only knows what was going on in his head; Dorian wanted to know so badly but he knew better. Once they were presentable once more, they descended the roost and went to find their Inquisitor. Cullen happily took Dorian’s hand in his to show his effort. Dorian shied away from him at first and the looks but when Cullen was insistent that he be at his side, he obliged him, a smile creeping up his face, after all, the two of them were just winging it.


End file.
